Guilty Until Proven Innocent
by Replica Arrow
Summary: Katniss is an executioner tasked with ending the life of Madge's murderer, Peeta Mellark. But after agreeing to his final request, she quickly realizes that he isn't guilty. If she can't find the real killer in time, then she will be forced to execute an innocent man. Can Katniss save the baker's son from being punished for a crime he didn't commit? AU. Everlark.
1. Chapter 1

I slip into the dungeon unnoticed and make my way to his cell. The execution isn't for another few days, but it is my job to hear his final request. The law permits me to grant all requests within reason prior to his last day alive. Even the most vial criminals get a parting gift before their death.

He is charged with murdering the mayor's daughter, Madge. She had been my best friend since childhood so I volunteered to end the life of her killer, Peeta Mellark. He is the baker's boy, the one who decorates the cakes that my sister loves so much. He was the only one in the bakery at the time Madge's body was discovered.

Peeta and I went to school together. I don't know him well, but he has always been kind to me. He used to bake me cheese buns when we were little. It's a shame that such a gentle child grew up to be a murderer.

"Hello, Mr. Mellark," I say coldly as his cell comes into view.

He looks up at me from his spot on the ground. His hands and feet are bound with fetters, preventing him from making any sudden movements. "Come to finish me off, sweetheart?" His curly blonde hair sits in an unruly mess upon his head, and his body is covered in dark bruises. The peacekeepers must have beaten him.

"Not yet." Against my better judgement, I unlock the door to his room and step inside. Peeta makes no attempt to escape."I've come to hear your dying wish."

He offers me a small smile. "How kind of you." His eyes drift close and he leans his head against the wall, lost in thought. "May I spend the rest of my life in a more comfortable place?"

The hopelessness in his voice overwhelms me. He has given up on life, given up on ever getting out of here. It's hard to believe that the pitiful man in front of me is a cold blooded killer. "I will talk it over with the head executioner."

"Thank you, Katniss." Tears drip down his face as he speaks. "I'm glad that you will be the one to end my life."

I'm taken aback by his words. "Why is that?"

"You're not cruel, not like them. You won't make me suffer," he whispers.

That's when I notice the burns on his pale skin. What did they do to him? A beating or two is fine, but torturing a prisoner is against the rules! "Who did this to you?"

"The mayor himself. Madge's father."

I am beside myself with anger. The mayor's rage over his daughter's death is justifiable, but he has no right to make Peeta's life a living hell. The poor boy is going to be dead within a week. Why should he have to spend his final days in agony? "I'll get you out of here, I promise."

I turn on my heel and exit the room, leaving the door unlocked. He won't escape. Peeta isn't the kind of person to run away from his punishment.

The hall to the head executioner's office is in disarray. Weapons lay scattered on the floor, making it impossible to walk. I trip over the handle of an ax and fall to the ground in a heap. Haymitch Abernathy will get a thorough tongue-lashing for this mess. "Head Executioner Abernathy, your ax nearly cut off my leg!"

"Sorry," he grumbles from inside the office. The smell of white liquor spills out into the hallway, gagging me.

"You're not supposed to be drinking on the job," I remind him as I stomp into his office. How he got promoted is beyond me. "I'm here about Mr. Mellark's request."

He throws the empty liquor bottle at the wall, shattering it into a million tiny pieces. "Murder in District 12 is almost unheard of. The boy really dug his own grave by committing such a horrible crime."

After visiting him moments ago, I'm beginning to have my doubts that he is the culprit. The only evidence we have against him is the fact that Madge's body was found in his family's bakery. His parents and brothers were ruled out as suspects because Peeta was the only one in the building at the time of her death. "He wants to live out his remaining days in comfort."

"Out of the question," Haymitch snaps, opening another bottle. "If he were to escape, the mayor would have our heads."

"What if he were to stay with me?" I ask. "I'll shoot him instantly if he tries anything."

Haymitch considers my words. "Well..." He takes a sip of the alcohol before continuing. "I guess that will work. Fine. I'll allow it."

I grab my bow and a sheath of arrows from the rack of weapons beside his desk. "I take full responsibility for Mr. Mellark's actions from now on."

An uncomfortable silence falls between us as we walk back to Peeta's cell. The head executioner is tasked with reading the prisoner his final rights. We usually deal with thieves, not murderers. It's hard to say whether or not he will be given the same rights as a thief.

Peeta hasn't moved an inch since I left. It's good to see that I haven't misjudged him. "You will be staying with me for the rest of your life," I tell him.

Haymitch is glaring daggers at me. "You left the door unlocked? The punishment for letting a prisoner escape is death!"

"That's why I didn't run away. I don't want Katniss to die in my place." There is honesty in those blue eyes of his.

"Just read him his rights," I say flatly.

Haymitch pulls a small book from his pocket and flips through the pages. "Murderer... murderer... Ah, here it is. The rights for a murderer are as follows. You may have five minutes to say goodbye to your family before the execution."

My jaw drops in shock. "That's it?" Thieves get the right to a last meal, an hour with their family, and they may pick the weapon used for their execution.

"That's it," he confirms with a frown. "I was expecting a last meal."

I notice the skin around Peeta's wrists and ankles has been rubbed raw by the shackles. "Am I allowed to remove his fetters?"

"Let me see." Haymitch glances down at the book in his hands. "It doesn't say." He sighs in frustration and stuffs it back into his pocket. "I don't think it's a good idea, but it's your call." With that said, I am handed the key to Peeta's shackles.

I don't hesitate to unlock the fetters and remove them from his body. He rubs the red lines left by the iron shackles. "Are we done here?" I ask Haymitch.

"Yeah. Let me get back to my break now." He staggers off down the hall to his office.

I carefully help Peeta to his feet and allow him to lean on my shoulder. It's obvious that he hasn't used his legs in awhile. "Are you alright?"

"My whole body hurts."

I lead him back to my house and let him rest on the couch. The burns are fresh and must be unbearably painful. My mind races as I try to remember what my mother would use to treat burns. Aloe. I dig through the my family's medical supplies until I find what I'm looking for. "This might hurt," I tell him. He gasps as my fingers massage aloe into the inflamed skin. "I'm not much of a healer. My mother and sister would be more helpful to you, but they are away on business in the Capitol."

He smiles through the pain. "It's okay. I'm a convict, remember? I don't deserve your kindness."

I repeat the words my mother used to say. "Everyone deserves kindness."

"Not me. Oh god, not me." Peeta buries his face in his hands and sobs. "It's my fault. She died because I wasn't paying attention."

My breath catches in my throat. What does he mean by that? It sure doesn't sound like he killed her. "Tell me what happened."

It takes him a moment to compose himself. "I went into the kitchen to check on the bread that was in the oven..." He takes a shaky breath and continues. "There were two customers in the bakery, Madge and a man. I left them alone together."

I quickly piece together the rest of his story. This man killed Madge and fled the scene, leaving Peeta to discover the body. When he reported it, the peacekeepers arrested him for murder. "You didn't do it," I breath.

"Of course not. I've know you and Madge since kindergarten!" He looks down at his hands. "But it doesn't matter what I say. The mayor believes I'm guilty."

I can't go through with this. I can't execute an innocent man, especially not Peeta. Not the boy who always gave me free bread. "Do you remember what the man looked like?"

He reaches out to touch my braid, and a shiver runs down my spine. It's not an unpleasant feeling. "He had dark hair and gray eyes. The two of you could have been related."

The description is too vague for me to identify the culprit. Lots of people from the Seam have dark hair and gray eyes. "Any distinguishable features?"

"Not that I recall." He brushes his fingers through my hair and sighs softly. "I'm sorry about your best friend. It's my fault. I should have been watching them. I should have protected her."

I dismiss his words with a shake of my head. "It wasn't your job to protect her." Does Peeta believe he deserves to be punished for a crime he didn't commit? Of course he does. He feels responsible for her death.

"She died on the cold floor of the bakery," he says through a sob.

I quickly realize that I need to prove his innocence. If I execute him, then I will be just as bad as Madge's murderer. How can I shoot an arrow through his heart when I know he didn't do anything wrong?

* * *

><p><strong>I thought it would be fun to write a story where everyone except the reader and Katniss believe that Peeta is guilty. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Stay tuned!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

A bowl of rabbit stew is clasped in my hands, waiting to be eaten. I blow on a spoonful of stew before bringing it up to Peeta's lips. "When was the last time you ate something?"

He hungrily slurps it down. "Before the trial."

Everyone is entitled to a trial in front of the mayor and several high-ranking peacekeepers. Being a corrupt system, the mayor alone gets to determine whether the accused is innocent or guilty. Peeta's fate was sealed the moment Madge died in his family's bakery.

"That was almost two weeks ago," I mutter angrily. It infuriates me that they tortured and starved him for no good reason. He didn't murder anyone, let alone a childhood friend of ours. "How do you feel?"

"I haven't felt this good in days." He takes the bowl from me and devours the meal in record time. "Thank you."

My face burns with embarrassment. "You don't have to thank me. This is how you wanted to spend your final days."

"But I never imagined that _you_ would be taking care of me," he says with a laugh. "I've dreamed of this since we were kids."

I scurry to the closest and retrieve a spare blanket. It's kind of worn-out, but it will keep him warm. "Here." I toss it at his head.

His eyes are wide with disbelief. "Did you just _throw_ this at me?" A mischievous smile appears on his face. "Two can play at this game." He hurls a decorative couch pillow in my direction, hitting me square in face.

I scowl at him. "Go to sleep."

The stairs creak under my feet as I head toward my bedroom. I swing open the door and flop onto my bed, burying my face in the soft sheets. What am I going to do? Peeta's execution date is only a few short days away, but I can't kill him. I have to save him somehow.

A voice in my head keeps telling me what I must do, but I've been blocking it out ever since I brought him home. The only way to save him is to catch the real killer. But how can I find a mysterious man who disappeared after murdering my best friend?

Madge... I miss her so much. Her death came as a complete shock to me because everyone liked her. She was a quiet girl with few friends, but people were drawn to her. I'm sure there were people who disliked her because she was the mayor's daughter, but I can't think of anyone who would want to hurt her.

That's why it was so easy to blame Peeta for her death. I had to blame someone. I thought it would be easy to kill him because we rarely spoke. We were classmates and acquaintances, not friends. But after today, I realize I was wrong. Killing him will not be an easy task.

As the hours pass by, I try to imagine what the murderer was trying to accomplish. Did Madge know the man with dark hair and gray eyes? If not, perhaps he was getting back at the mayor for some unknown reason.

I eventually fall into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of days gone by. It's not long before Peeta wakes me from my slumber. Light pours into the room from the open window, indicating that it's morning. "What?"

He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "I made you breakfast."

"Oh." It amazes me that the mayor can believe such a sweet boy is a murderer. No one else would bother to make their executioner a meal, that's for sure.

Peeta brings me a plate of eggs and toast. "Think of this as a thank you for feeding me yesterday."

I accept the food and begin eating it. The eggs are covered in melted cheese, and the toast is coated in my favorite strawberry jam. It's not long before the plate is empty.

After breakfast, I force my tired body to get out of bed and change into some clean clothes. Today is the day I start investigating Madge's murder. It has been over a month since she died, and the crime scene was never thoroughly searched for evidence. A fellow executioner by the name of Gale Hawthorne had been at the scene shortly after the crime took place. He might know something that I don't.

"We're going to talk to a co-worker of mine," I tell him. "He might be able to prove your innocence."

He stares at me for a long time without speaking. It must be hard for him to believe my words. Executioners kill prisoners, not save them. "You're going to help me?"

"Of course," I assure him.

I lead Peeta back to the dungeon. It is my day off, but Gale is scheduled to execute two thieves today. I need to catch him before he gets to work. Instead, I find Haymitch wandering the halls in a drunken rage.

"Nice of you to show up to work. Can you fill in for Mr. Hawthorne?" he asks me.

I raise an eyebrow. "Fill in for him? Is he sick?"

Haymitch smashes an empty liquor bottle against the floor. "Haven't you heard? He went to a bar last night and hasn't returned. His family is worried about him."

It figures he would go missing just when I need him the most. "I can't cover for him, Abernathy. I'm busy."

"Can't help an old man out, can you? Fine. I'll do it myself." He saunters off toward the prison cells.

Great. What am I supposed to do now? There were several peacekeepers at the crime scene, but I can't discuss the situation with them. If the mayor were to find out, I would lose my head.

Peeta places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't do this for me. I know what will happen if you get caught helping a criminal."

"I'm in too deep to quit now."

I try to think of all the people who had visited the bakery the day of Madge's murder. Delly Cartwright picked up a cake for her friend's birthday shortly before the crime. She might know something. I take his hand and drag him to her house.

Peeta knocks on the door and is greeted by an overjoyed Delly. "I thought you were dead!"

"You can't get rid of me that easily," he jokes.

Delly has been his friend since they were children. She knows him better than I do, and I'm hoping that she can shed some light on what happened before the murder took place. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions about Madge's murder? I'm trying to prove that Peeta is innocent."

She smiles at me. "Go ahead."

"You saw Madge heading to the bakery on the day of her death, correct?" I ask. A peacekeeper named Darius kept me informed on the details of the crime because Madge was a close friend of mine.

"Well, I actually saw two people go into the bakery. Madge and Gale." Her eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Now that I think about it, Gale waited outside for awhile before following her inside."

That's strange. I have to get more information out of her. "Was there anyone else inside at the time?"

"Yes. A lady was still waiting in line when I left. I can't say for sure if she was there when Madge and Gale entered the building."

Let me get this strange. Madge and Gale were presumably inside the building at the time of the murder. This information paints Gale in a very suspicious light, but we don't have enough evidence to tie him to the crime. "Thank you for your cooperation, Delly."

My next task is to find Gale, but where can he be? All I know is that he didn't return home last night. He must be at one of the local bars.

As we make our way to a popular bar, the mayor rounds a corner and comes face-to-face with Peeta. I see the anger in Mayor Undersee's eyes and know that he is not happy about a prisoner roaming the streets. His hands move like lightning as he grabs Peeta by the throat and begins violently shaking him.

"You murderer!" He slams the struggling boy against the wall of a nearby pharmacy, knocking the air from his lungs.

I shove my way between them in an attempt to protect Peeta from further harm. Mayor Undersee hasn't been the same since his darling daughter passed away. "Stop this at once," I snap.

The mayor backs away from us and takes a few deep breaths. "Ms. Everdeen, I demand you hand over the prisoner this instant."

"He is under my supervision, sir." I bite my lip to keep from saying something I might regret.

"You are merely his executioner," he argues. "Are you protecting this monster?"

I clench my fists and take a threatening step forward. I've had just about enough of his cruel treatment of Peeta. "He hasn't done anything wrong! The real murderer is on the loose because you were too stupid to do a proper investigation!"

Before I can say anything else, Peeta grabs my wrist and whisks me away into a nearby bar. "Are you out of your mind? You can't talk to the mayor like that!" He sounds more concerned than angry.

"Should I have let him choke you to death?" My anger disappears when he starts laughing hysterically. "What's so funny?"

He grins. "You care about me."

I push him out of the way and walk up to the bartender. "Excuse me, has Gale been here within the last twenty-four hours?" To my surprise, the bartender informs me that my co-worker was here last night. He left in the early hours of the morning and was heading toward the train station. That's just what I needed to hear. "Peeta, we're going to the train station."

* * *

><p><strong>I plan on having Katniss realize that she has feelings for Peeta rather quickly. It'll make things more interesting, don't you think? ;) <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

The train station is small and packed full of people. It is difficult to move without bumping into someone, and I'm beginning to feel claustrophobic. I end up losing Peeta in the crowd.

"Isn't that Peeta Mellark, the baker's boy?" a man shouts from somewhere in the crowd.

Several people surround him almost immediately. "Weren't you supposed to be executed for killing that poor girl?"

Peeta holds up his hands defensively as he tries to explain himself. "My last request was to see the trains one more time." The lie earns him a few nods of approval.

I shove my way through the mass of people until I'm standing by his side. Everyone recognizes me as the girl who became an executioner when she was only sixteen. Needless to say, I'm not very well liked in the community. "Back off. He's with me."

"Shoot him through the heart," people chant as we walk by.

All of the commotion seems to be having a negative effect on Peeta. His shoulders are sagging, and there are tears in his eyes. It's understandable that he would be upset. He is very charismatic, and people used to enjoy his company. Now, everyone wants him to die for a crime he didn't commit. That must be hard on him.

"Ignore them," I whisper into his ear.

He wipes the tears away and sighs sadly. "Everyone hates me. Even if you can prove my innocence, no one will look at me the same way ever again."

That's true. People will always see him as the boy who didn't save Madge. He won't be viewed as a murder anymore, but things will never go back to the way they used to be.

"It doesn't matter what they think. _I_ like you." He is nice to me. It is rare for someone to treat me with such kindness. Everyone else sees me as just an executioner, not a human being. It's ironic that the one I'm supposed to kill is the only person who has shown me any compassion since I took this job.

Peeta takes this opportunity to tease me. "My heart is yours. You stole it with one of your arrows."

I lightly slug his arm. "You better sleep with one eye open. I might really take it someday."

He laughs and leads me toward the only train in the station. "How do we find this Gale person?"

I look through the windows at the passengers inside. It should be easy to spot him. Not many people from the Seam can afford to travel.

"There!" I point to a man not far from us. He is moving nervously through the crowd, as if expecting someone to jump out at him. We run over to greet him.

"Oh... It's nice to see you, Catnip," he says with a smile. "And you brought a convict."

I knew that voice sounded familiar. "You alerted the crowd that Peeta was here." I'm overcome with rage for my co-worker. "Why did you put him through that?"

Gale's face darkens. "He's a criminal, a murderer. Your job is to put an end to this scumbag."

"Speaking of jobs, why did you skip work today?" The words are barely out of my mouth when someone pushes me to the ground. Gale escapes in the confusion.

Peeta kneels down to help me to my feet. "Are you alright?"

I disregard his question in favor of searching for Gale. Where did he go? My eyes dart in every direction until I see him getting on the train.

He pokes his head out of the open window. "I have business elsewhere. Cover for me until I get back!"

The train takes off before I can reach it. I make my way to the nearest ticket booth. "Excuse me, where is that train headed?"

The lady behind the counter hands me a paper schedule. "District 2. Next train bound for that destination doesn't leave until tomorrow."

Why the hell is Gale going to District 2? He doesn't know anyone there, and he isn't using any of his vacation days to go sightseeing. It's almost as if he made a split-second decision to leave District 12.

"Katniss, that was him," Peeta says. "That was the man in the bakery with Madge."

He just confirmed what Delly said earlier. Gale had followed Madge into the bakery, and the two of them were alone when Peeta went into the kitchen. "That still isn't enough to prove he did anything. Do you remember anything else about that day?"

"Darius bought a loaf of pumpkin bread and was lingering outside for awhile."

Is Darius somehow involved in the murder? What exactly is going on here? "Something about this whole situation bothers me. Gale and Darius were both outside for a period of time. Do you know if they were together?"

"I'm not sure," he replies with a shrug. "I was working."

"Who was the first peacekeeper on the scene?" There are only a few people it could possibly be, and I want to know if my suspicions are correct.

Peeta crosses his arms as he thinks it over. "The new head peacekeeper, Romulus Thread."

I knew it. Thread and the mayor haven't gotten along since the day they met. Did he kill Madge in order to hurt Mayor Undersee? "We have a number of suspects, but no leads. How long were you in the kitchen?"

"About twenty minutes. The bakery was pretty empty with just Madge and Gale inside. They were both looking at the cakes when I left," he tells me.

Twenty minutes is more than enough time for a professional to kill someone. It only takes me a minute or two to execute a criminal. "That doesn't rule anyone out. All three of our suspects were most likely armed. Darius and Thread are peacekeepers, and Gale is an executioner."

My head feels like it's going to explode. Who is the real murderer? If I can't find out soon, then Peeta will die.

"What day is my execution scheduled for?"

The question catches me off guard. "Three days from now. That would be Saturday."

He takes my hand in his and smiles. "I want to spend some time with you. There's nothing else we can do right now, anyway. We can't confront either of the two peacekeepers until they get off work."

With no other leads and time running out, the best thing to do is to make sure his last few days are pleasant. "Okay. What do you want to do?"

Peeta takes me to a nearby park, where we sit in a field of flowers. He picks one and tucks it behind my ear. "The flower pales in comparison to your beauty."

The compliment makes me blush. I've never once considered myself beautiful, but it feels nice to hear him say it. He always knows the right thing to say.

He tells me about himself and his hobbies. I learn that his favorite color is orange, and he enjoys watching the sunset. His favorite pastime is painting.

I've never been good at talking about myself, but it's important that I share something with him. I tell him that I became an executioner to make enough money to feed my family. My father passed away when I was fifteen, and my mother couldn't cope with the loss. Times were tough, and this job had the best wages.

"You did it to save your family. That's very admirable," he says. "You're not as bad as they say you are."

I'm disliked by almost everyone in the Seam. The poor steal food from the wealthy, and I have to punish them for their crimes. "What do people say about me?"

He shrugs. "That you are a heartless killer."

So that's what they think of me. "Do you believe them?"

"I've _never_ believed them." He places his hands on my shoulders, and I can't help wondering what he is thinking. There is a strange emotion in his eyes that I can't place.

"Peeta..."

He tilts his head to the side. "May I kiss you?"

I stare at him in shock. "I've never kissed anyone before."

"That's okay. Neither have I," he says softly.

The reality of the situation hits me like a ton of bricks. Peeta is going to die in three days. He is going to miss out on all the things life has to offer if I can't save him. He won't ever fall in love, or get married, or have kids.

I feel obligated to make him happy, but there is a part of me that wants to kiss him. I've known him since kindergarten. We used to play together with Madge and Delly, and he would bake me cheese buns when I was sad. We were never close, but I've always felt something for the baker's boy. Something I can't define.

"You're not going to die. We will bring the real murderer to justice, and you will be set free." I seal the promise with a kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>Have some Everlark cuteness! Anyway, things are never quite as simple as they seem. I have something in mind that you may not expect, but I am curious to know what you guys think is going to happen. <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

Peeta begs me to watch the sunset with him. The vibrant orange sky reminds me of the glow of a campfire in summertime. It sets off a warm feeling in my heart, assuring me that everything will be okay.

He gives me a content smile and says, "I guess it's time to get back to work."

"Yeah," I murmur. "Let's find Darius."

Darius frequents a place known as the Hob. It's sort of like a market for less than legal transactions. Merchants sell banned products that can't be bought anywhere else, and lately women have been selling themselves to desperate men for profit. Romulus Thread has been trying to shut it down ever since he came to District 12.

We enter the Hob and wander around until I spot Darius with Haymitch. The two of them have been friends and drinking buddies ever since Haymitch got promoted. They come here to buy some type of white liquor that isn't available at the local bars. It comes from the Capitol and has been banned in almost every district.

"There she is," the head executioner mutters. "Friends with a murderer. This is why you didn't get the promotion, sweetheart. You're too damn soft."

I brush off the insult and take a seat beside Darius. Hopefully he isn't too intoxicated to answer my questions. "You remember Peeta, right?"

He gives a faint nod. "Yeah. You're the kid who was beaten to a bloody pulp by Romulus."

"And you're the one who pulled him off me," Peeta says with a friendly smile.

I'm not sure how to bring up Madge's murder without drawing suspicion to myself. Executioners aren't authorized to do anything other than punish criminals. That being said, I decide to just come out and say it. "I have reason to believe that Peeta had nothing to do with the death of Madge Undersee."

Darius doesn't seem surprised. "This boy isn't a killer." He leans in close to my ear and whispers something almost inaudible. "I'll let you in on a little secret. Romulus accused the baker's son so that he wouldn't have to investigate the crime."

"You can't be serious," I say just a little too loudly.

He places a finger on my lips to silence me. "It's completely true. We have no evidence to imprison Peeta Mellark, let alone kill him. Now, how about a kiss as payment for the information?"

I am disgusted by this new information. Peeta is going to be _executed_ because Thread doesn't want to do his job. "What else do you know about the murder?"

"Someone was seen fleeing the scene of the crime," he says. "He or she has not been caught."

My body is rigid and coursing with anger. "And you haven't bothered to look for this person?"

Darius swings an arm over my shoulder and presses his lips to my ear again. "It's not up to me. Romulus calls the shots around here, and he has a grudge against the kid's family."

"What kind of grudge?" I ask him.

Haymitch pulls us apart before the peacekeeper can answer. "Get the boy out of here. There's going to be trouble if Thread sees him."

I drop to the ground and pull Peeta down with me. Sure enough, Romulus Thread appears seconds later with a paper signed by the mayor. He gets into an argument with an obviously drunk Haymitch, giving us a chance to get away. We sneak through the crowd of people and exit the Hob undetected.

"I can't believe this!" I shout into the darkened sky.

Peeta tries to calm me down with a gently hug. "It's going to be okay."

I grip his shirt tightly in my hands and bury my face in his neck. "You didn't hear what Darius said. Thread is going to let you die because he resents your family."

His fingers trail down my back, soothing me. "Let's go home."

We make our way back to my house in silence. I open the door and run up the stairs to my room, throwing myself onto the bed. The tears I have been trying to hold back are flowing freely down my face. He follows me into the room and continues to comfort me with his touch.

Our next coarse of actions is to confront the head peacekeeper. Whatever he has against the Mellark family can't be bad enough to kill someone over. I'll pay Thread a visit tomorrow and figure out what the hell is going on.

"Feeling better?" he asks me.

I straighten up and dry my tears. "Yeah."

"Good. I'll see you in the morning." He moves to leave the room but I wrap my arms around his waist, preventing him from going anywhere.

"No. Stay."

He settles down on my bed and pulls me into his embrace. "This is exactly how I imagined spending the rest of my life."

I don't understand how he can be so calm in this situation. Most of the people I deal with will beg for their lives up until the very end, but Peeta has already given up any hope of escaping his fate. "You're not going to die. I refuse to shoot you."

"Katniss, let's be honest. If you don't do it, then someone else will." His hands rub my neck and shoulders, making me feel pleasantly warm. "At least you will make my death painless."

That's true. He will barely feel a thing when the arrow strikes his heart. "You don't deserve this."

My words earn me a kiss on the forehead. "I'm happy that you care about me. Get some rest." He covers us with the blanket and closes his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

I rest my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. The sound gives me a sense of comfort and relief. He is still alive. I keep that thought in mind as I follow him into dreamland.

The morning light shines brightly as it invades my bedroom, rousing me from my sleep. I protest the new day by nestle my head into the pillow, refusing to get up until yesterday's events flood my mind. My eyes snap open and I sit bolt upright, waking Peeta.

"Two days," I tell him urgently.

He rolls onto his stomach and yawns loudly. "What are you talking about?"

"We only have two more days until the execution!"

I urge Peeta to take a shower while I find him something to wear. My father's clothes have been gathering dust in the closet since he died, and I dig through the boxes of clothes until I find a fancy shirt and matching pants. I toss them on my bed, then head toward the downstairs bathroom to bathe.

My goal is to make him look presentable when we pay the head peacekeeper a visit. I want him to see Peeta as a regular member of society rather than a prisoner. Maybe then Thread will tell me what I want to know.

I get dressed in a hurry and meet Peeta in the living room. "Ready to go?"

He tugs on the collar of my father's shirt. "I guess so. How do we know he won't kill me himself?"

"The execution has to be public." I grab my bow in case the head peacekeeper decides to disobey the rules.

Today is Thread's day off. He spends his free time at the gym, where he conditions his body to keep up with the younger generation. Getting old can't be easy for a man who takes great pride in his work.

I don't hesitate to walk up to him while he is lifting weights. "You should know that one of your peacekeepers told me about your dirty little secret."

The heavy training equipment crashes to the floor. "What secret?"

"You accused Peeta of murder because you hate his family." I watch as the head peacekeeper's eyes narrow to slits.

"Hold your tongue, Ms. Everdeen. I know something that could cost you your life." The stern look on his face leads me to believe that he is telling the truth.

Peeta nudges my arm and motions to the gun strapped to Thread's belt. I arm myself with an arrow as the man in front of us reaches for his weapon. We glare at each other for a long time, neither of us daring to break eye contact with the other.

"It's you, isn't it?" Peeta asks, breaking the silence. "You're the peacekeeper that was in love with my mother."

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><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that you are enjoying the story so far. <strong>


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